Berchtesgarden

We arrived in Berchtesgaden at the deluxe campsite. State of the art toilet facilities! Apart from maybe the opaque glass ... don;t stand too close if you have a hairy butt!!
We went into Berchtesgaden on the first afternoon. The old town was very pretty... the kids all got new hiking boots and a special rolled up ice cream.
We had dinner in the restaurant at the campsite which was fantastic (schnitzel and chips for the boys and I had the most enormous salad you have ever seen) with delicious ice cold beer.
The next day we took the Jenner cable car at the entrance to the Berchtesgarden National Park to the MIttel Station and hiked to the top with a vertical climb of 600m. Alex and Charlie had a face off with Bessie the Cow, Alex ran away form a bumble bee and Charlie did not moan at all!!
The views form the top were stunning over the mountains and down to Konnigsee.
We then went on a boat trip on Konnigsee... a bit crowded, but cool trumpet playing... it was apparently an ancient tradition to the monster of the lake (200m deep) and the sound echoed off the mountain. Other highlights included the life rafts (aka cushions) and the Greek gods rowing.

View from the top of Jenner over Konnigsee

View from the pool was pretty special

Disneyland

Today we went to Disneyland Paris. Charlie and I had a huge surprise when we came to the big colorful Disney gates because we thought we were going to Versailles. The first ride we went on was the Phantom Manor. Phantom Manor is a ghost train. It had brilliant special effects. Then we went on Charlie's favorite Big Thunder Mountain. It was an awesome rollercoaster. Legend has it that Big Thunder Mountain was haunted by indian spirits so it was abandoned by the fearful miners.

These are my top three rides:

1. Space Mountain. 
2. Indiana Jones and the temple of peril.
3. Big Thunder Mountain.

My number one ride Space Mountain is a fast adventurous roller coaster in outer space. It is pitch black the only light comes from the effects. It has sharp turns, sudden drops, corkscrews and Loop the Loops. OMG.

I went on it twice. I LOVED IT !!!!!!!!!!!! Indiana jones and the temple of peril was the same but in the light and no corkscrews. OMG

I LOVE DISNEYLAND!!!!!!! 

Ready to go in!

Big Thunder Mountain

The girls on the carousel

Charlie outside Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Inside the castle, the story of Sleeping Beauty was told in the stained glass windows

Charlie meets Gepetto

Action shot on Big Thunder Mountain

Space Mountain!!!!

Moleson with Ella, Charlie's friend from Kinder

Charlie's friend from Neighbourhood House, Ella and her family live around the corner from us in Melbourne have moved to Geneva for 2 years. They had rented a chalet with pool, sauna and wonderful views and invited us along for a night. Charlie and Ella had a great time playing and gave a number of 'Annie' shows. Moleson is a very pretty place, near Gruyeres where the cheese is made and there was a great alpine roller-coaster which everyone had fun on.

Geneva sounds like a terrific place to live, they had been going skiing every weekend until the end of May and of course Ella is learning French in school.

Charlie is 6 on Saturday so we took the opportunity to start birthday festivities early!

Let them eat cake!

Acrobatics in the pool

Under the Tuscan Sun!

We've found a very relaxing campsite high in the Tuscan hills amongst the vineyards and olive groves with great views over the valley.

We explored the lovely village of Vinci (birthplace of Leonardo) and they even put a bit of music and a show on for us! The kids had a great time doing some rock'n'roll in the park to 'Dennis and the Jets'. We had probably the best roast chicken and pizza ever.

We went back to Vinci the following day to go to the Leonardo Museum which featured replicas of his models and machines. He really was a genius and hundreds of years ahead of his time. His studies on optics and his anatomical drawings are amazing. He also designed bridges, towns and cities, built cranes and scaffolding to aid construction of the domes on churches, was fascinated by flight and designed a helicopter and built war machines such as steam powered cannons and tanks.

The restaurant at the campsite had been recommended and did a special 'Tuscan Menu'. It was our wedding anniversary and we thought we'd have a treat! I asked what the 'Tuscan Menu' was today and was told 'a surprise'. The gnocci with walnut sauce was delicious, the fungi risotto was fantastic but then I was presented with a plate of pigs stomach!!!!! Mmmmmm....

View of Vinci

Miss Charlie Ward

Poppies

Shapes for Prep D from Charlie

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

Today we went to Vinci (in Tuscany) which is where Leonardo da Vinci was born (da Vinci meaning from Vinci). He was a famous painter (he painted the Mona Lisa), scientist and inventor. We went to a museum which had a lot of models of machines he had designed, for example, a diving suit, the bicycle, tanks and a crane. He also did lots of work on 3D shapes.

I am loving all the yummy food in Italy, especially pizza and gelati! I'm missing all my friends in Prep D, it sounds like you're having a lot of fun at school!

Love Charlie

I love pizza!!!!  (and gelati)

A sphere at the top of a church

A hexagon (tile in the Vinci museum)

A cube (model in Vinci museum)

Triangular pyramid

What shape is this?

The main tower on the castle is a rectangular prism.

Alex, Charlie and Samantha's impression of Rome

Alex: Colosseum was my number 1 as I like intact Roman ruins. The gardens and fountains at Villa D'Este were cool.

Charlie: The best gelati was at the Spanish steps. I liked dipping my head into the fountains best. The pool, at the campsite was fantastic.

Samantha: I just like gelati and pizza, ANY gelati, preferably someone-else's.

Alex in St Peter's square

Spot the obelisk!

Castel Sant'Angelo

More silly fountain poses

Yet another obelisk in Piazza Navona